Inside this issue, you’ll find all the content that you expect and love from ACerS—like interesting features and technical stories, meeting information and recaps, news briefs, and shorts from the latest materials science research.

But we’ve got a few new digital tricks up our sleeve, too. We’ve added a handy little QR code to the front cover to zip you directly to the ACerS website when you’re reading the print edition. (Don’t receive the print edition? Consider becoming an ACerS member—it’s one of many perks!) Plus, this issue debuts a new online table of contents, directly following the standard table of contents, so that you know what’s going on in both the print and digital ACerS worlds.

If you’re on social media, be sure to look us up and stay connected through Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and/or LinkedIn—the links are right there on the online table of contents and on our homepage.

Not on social media? Consider joining the bandwagon—LinkedIn now has over 300 million users, many of which are potential employers and employees. Plus, you can stay more connected with the people and organizations you love (like ACerS!). We’ve been busy rounding up all the latest materials science and society news on Ceramic Tech Today and our social media channels—it’s all there waiting for you!

Here is a sneak peak at the May issue’s great lineup of feature articles:

Corning International researchers pen an intriguing cover story about touchscreen surface warfare, detailing how silver incorporated into the glass of touchscreens can exert antimicrobial behavior to tackle potentially dangerous microbes lurking on the surfaces of smartphones, ATM screens, and other digital devices.

A feature by Karen Welch offers another intriguing microbe-thwarting strategy, this time in the air around us. Passive purification details the use of photocatalytic titanium dioxide to bust microbes and neutralize pollutants in the air—Welch discusses current capabilities of the tech to analyze titanium dioxide’s potential as an environmental purifier.

Steve Ritchey gives us ’round two’ of a two-part series on US patent law, this time reviewing how the America Invents Act has changed the patent game. Ritchey breaks down the law and dishes up what you need to know to comply. Because the Act document is 57 pages of legalese, be sure to thank him for the breakdown!

And we made sure not to forget the technical details—Peter Lezzi and Minoru Tomozawa provide a report on their new method of strengthening glass, in lieu of more tranditional methods like thermal tempering or ion exchange. Read the whole story to find out how did they are able to strengthen glass independently of thickness and composition.

Don’t forget, past issues of the ACerS Bulletin are also free to members—so considering joining today!